Direct Primaries 





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LEGISLATIVE REFERENCE BUREAU 
MONTPELIER, VT. 

1914 
























































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Direct Primaries 





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LEGISLATIVE REFERENCE BUREAU 
MONTPELIER, VT, 










At the annual March election of 1914 the following questions will be 
submitted to a vote of the qualified electors of the state: 

“Do you favor a preferential primary system whereby the voters may in¬ 
struct their delegates to political conventions as to their preference for can¬ 
didates for office?” 

“Do you favor a direct primary law whereby the voters are to vote 
directly for the candidates rather than the present system of nominating 
candidates for state, congressional and county officers?” 

In view of this fact and because of the general interest in the subject 
throughout the state this bulletin has been prepared for the purpose of making- 
available to the general public the information contained in the files of the 
Legislative Reference Bureau. The bureau maintains an absolutely impartial 
attitude on this as on all other public questions and any statements appearing 
in this pamphlet must not be taken as expressing the opinion of any members 
of the bureau force. 

JOHN M. AVERY, 

January, 1914. Legislative Reference Librarian. 


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run^errea ft fit 

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•JbrariGQ’s Office 
JUti 10 1914 



DIRECT PRIMARIES. 


Definition. 

The direct primary is a system of nominating candidates for public 
office designed to substitute the choice of the candidates of the several parties 
directly by the people at an election held under state laws similar to those 
governing general elections for the present method of choice by a convention 
composed of delegates elected at caucuses. It does away with the convention 
as far as the choice of candidates is concerned though in some states the con¬ 
vention is retained for the purpose of framing the platform. 

Proceedure. 

Under the primary system the aspirant for office secures, a certain num¬ 
ber of days before the primary, either personally or through agents, a number 
of signatures to a petition asking that his name be placed on the primary 
ballot as a candidate for the nomination of the party of which he is a member. 
If he secures the number that is required, usually a percentage of the votes 
cast for the candidate of his party for the same office, at the last election 
his name, together with the names of all others who have similarly complied 
with the requirements, is placed on the primary ballot. Some states require 
the payment of a fee when the petition is filed, varying in amount with the 
office for which the person is a candidate. 

The primaries are held a fixed number of days before the general election, 
the primaries of all parties being held at the same time arid place. If the 
system in force in the state is the open primary the voter receives the ballot 
of all parties represented at the election, voting any one he may desire and 
depositing the others in the blank ballot box. If the closed primary is the 
one in use the voter receives the ballot only of that party with which he is 
affiliated. The candidate who receives the largest vote is declared the nom¬ 
inee of the party. However, this is not the case in some states when there are 
more than two candidates for a nomination, there being a provision for second 
choice voting. In this case each voter votes not only his first but his second 
choice and in case no candidate receives a majority or a large percentage of 
first choice votes the second choice votes are counted and the candidate 
receiving the largest number of first and second choice votes combined is 
declared the nominee. 

Preferential Primaries. 

The preferential primary as stated in the referendum is a method by 
which delegates are chosen by the people at primaries and instructed at the 
primaries as to whom that should vote for at the convention which nominates 
candidates. It is, in brief, an instructed delegate plan regulated by state law. 

Primaries in Other States. 

The direct primary is at present in force in some form or other in about 
forty states. In some states all officers are included whether congressional, 
state, or local, while in others a part only are included. In the accompanying 
digest only those states are shown where the primary is mandatory, regulated 
by the state, and includes the principal state officers. In certain of the south¬ 
ern states there have been held for many years direct primaries under party 
rules, though in some cases this primary has been later legalized. 

In the accompanying table the presidential preference primaries are not 
included nor are primaries for United States Senators in all cases. Usually 



4 


party committeemen and sometimes delegates to party conventions are elected 
at the primaries. 

Arguments. 

There has been much discussion of the direct primary and many ar¬ 
guments have been advanced pro and con. The following have been com¬ 
piled from various sources and are here arranged in opposing columns. This 
method of arrangement does not result in a continuous logical development 
of the argument on either side of the question, the aim having been rather to 
make a compilation of all or nearly all of the arguments then to make a con¬ 
sistent presentation of either side of the case. The preferential primary is 
not treated in these arguments because the results of experience under such 
a system are not available from which conclusions might properly be drawn. 
However many of the arguments given below regarding the direct primary 


might be applied one way or the other 

For Convention 

If it was thought that the convention did 
not represent the will of the people a very 
simple remedy is at hand. Unless a candidate 
receive a two-thirds vote at the convention 
a primary could be held. Thus the primary 
could be used as a safety valve, as a guarantee 
to the people that their wishes would not be 
disregarded. 


The argument for direct primaries is 
based upen the assumption that the voter 
is either corrupt or ignorant; corrupt in that 
he has used his vote in violation. of his 
duty or ignorant in that he has unknowingly 
let himself be used by unscrupulous politic¬ 
ians. If this be the case it is a condition 
which a mere change in nominating machin¬ 
ery will not remedy. 

As the number of voters who participate in 
the caucus under the convention system is not 
a matter of record no accurate comparison 
can be made. But it is a matter of fact 
that at the last general election in the states 
of Maine, New Hampshire, Wisconsin, 
Kansas, and Oregon, typical primary states, 
the total vote for governor at the primary 
was 573,254 while the vote at the general 
election for governor was 1,020,533. 


The convention is in harmony with the 
representative system of government. If 
you abandon it in favor of the primary you 
are but taking the first step toward the 
pure democratic form of government, a 
form which history proves absolutely un¬ 
workable for any but the smallest political 
units. 

The curse of the evils of bossism is not 
in the machinery of politics. It is chiefly 
in the frequency of elections and the enor- 


to preferential primaries. 

For Primary. 

The convention has always been a tool 
easily handled by a clever boss. By trading 
off minor places and by sharp practices the 
boss has brought the convention into dis¬ 
repute as an instrument fitted to express 
the people’s will. Even when honestly and 
fairly conducted, a convention gives an undue 
advantage to aggressive, unscrupulous men, 
which they would not have in a direct primary. 

Direct primaries are based upon the as¬ 
sumption that the rank and file of the voters 
are honest and intelligent, and that they 
should each and all be allowed to express 
their views on all candidacies at their usual 
voting place instead of delegating that duty 
to a few delegates who, away from home 
and under pressure, may be led into mistakes, 
or worse. 

It is a matter of common knowledge 
that only a small per cent of the voters 
participate in th e caucus but there is a large 
vote at the primaries because the voters 
know that their vote amounts to something 
therefore they come out to the primary. 
By bringing all the candidacies before the 
voters at one time, state, congressional and 
county, the interest and vote will be larger 
and more representative than by handling 
them in sections as at present. 

In this nation and in this state, the will 
of the people is and should be the supreme 
law; and that that will may be made effective 
you need public officers who owe their nomina¬ 
tion as well as their election directly to the 
vote of the people. 


I We are using 19th century machinery 
to nominate officers under 20th century 
conditions. The methods of politics no less 


State 

Date. 

Offices Covered 

Parties Covered 

Method of Voting 

Party Conventions 

Ariz. 

Chap. 84 

1912 

All elective senatorial, 
congressional, state, coun¬ 
ty, and precinct offices. (1) 

A party casting 5% of total vote of state 
at last, election a political party under the act. 
A new party qualifies on petition of voters 
equal to 2% of votes cast for governor at 
last election in at least each of 5 counties 
of the state. (7) 

Voter shall receive only the bal¬ 
lot of party for which he asks. 
If challenged as to membership 
therein he must make oath de¬ 
claring affiliation therewith. 
(8a-4,8b) 

Provides for a party council 
of nominees and committeemen 
who shall frame platform. (32-8) 

Cal. 

Acts of 1913 
Ch. 699 

All elective public offi¬ 
cers except certain local 
offices. 

Any party which at last preceding 
election cast 3% of entire vote of 
state for any of its candidates. Any party 
which shall at least 50 days before any primary 
election register at least 3% of total number 
of electors registered at last election. Any 
group of registered qualified electors number¬ 
ing 3% of total registered vote at last Nov. 
election who shall file a petition with the Sec. 
of State declaring that they represent a 
political party. (1-9) 

Voter receives ballot of party 
with which he is registered as 
affiliated. (17) 

Convention of nominees and 
delegates provided for, which 
may promulgate platform and 
nominate presidential electors, 
and elect state committee. (24) 

Colo. 

Ch. 4, 

1910 

U. S. Senators, con¬ 
gressmen,all elective, state 
district, city, county, 
ward, precinct officers. (1) 

A party polling 10% of the total vote cast 
at last preceding general election. (2) 

Voter receives ballots of all 
parties but votes only the one he 
desires,depositing others in blank 
ballot box. If challenged, voter 
makes oath declaring that he 
is affiliated with one of the 
parties represented by ballot 
at the election. (11) 

A convention composed of 
candidates, state chairmen, and 
hold-over senators frames plat¬ 
form. (22) 

Idaho 
p. 196, 

Laws, 1909, 
amended 
ch. 178-11 
ph. 85-’ 13 

All elective, state dis¬ 
trict, and county offi¬ 
cers. (1) 

A party which cast at last election 10% 
of total vote and which had at least three 
nominees for state offices. (2) 

Voter receives ballot only of 
party for which he asks. If 
challenged as to membership 
therein he must make oath as to 
his affiliation therewith. (15) 

Convention composed of dele¬ 
gates chosen by party commit¬ 
tees who in turn are chosen by 
nominees shall frame platform. 
(29) 

111. 

Act of 1910 
as amended 
by 1913 Act 

All elective officers, ex¬ 
cept certain school and 
township officers. (1) 

A political party which at last general 
election next preceding a primary polled 
more than 2% of entire vote cast in the state. 
(2) 

Voter receives only the ballot 
of the party with which he de¬ 
clares he is affiliated. (43, 44) 

County convention is meeting 
of county committee which 
chooses delegates to congres¬ 
sional and state conventions 
which latter nominates presi¬ 
dential electors and adopts party 
platforms. (10) 

Iowa 

32 G A. 

U. S. Senators, con- 

<rT*o««rnon plpptnr<! oil plppt- 

A party which at last election cast for its 
candidates for governor at least 2% of the 
total vote. (1087-3a) 

Voter receives ballot of party 
with which he has registered as 
affiliated but may change his 
affiliation by making oath there¬ 
to. (1087a6, 1087a9) 

A state convention composed 
of delegates elected by a county 
convention the members of 
which are in turn elected by the 
voters at the primary shall 
frame the platform. (i087a25, 
a27) 

ch. 51 
amended 

33 G. A. 
ch. 69 

^ ill” 1 ' l ' 1 1 rtXl '1 vv l 

ed officers except supreme, 
district, and superior 
judges. (1087-al) 

Kans. 

G. S. 1909 

Sec. 3289- 
3311 as a- 
mended by 
1911,1913 

All elective officers ex¬ 
cept at special elections 
and at certain local elec¬ 
tions. (3290) 

Any political organization filing nomina¬ 
tion papers for a majority of state and county 
offices as provided in the act. Act requires a 
petition for different offices to be signed by 
varying percentages of total number of voters. 
(3293) 

Voter receives the ballot of 
party for which he desires to vote. 

If challenged as to his affilia¬ 
tion therewith he must make 
oath thereto. (3300, 3302) 

Platform framed by a party 
council composed of candidates 
nominated at primaries, hold¬ 
over senators of the party, and 
chairmen of the county com¬ 
mittees elected at the primaries. 
(3307) • 

Ky. 

Act of 1912, 
Ch. 7 

All elective officers ex¬ 
cept certain local and 
school district officers, and 
presidential electors. 

An affiliation or organization of electors 
representing a political policy and having a 
constituted authority for its gov’t and regu¬ 
lation and which at last preceding election 
at which presidential electors were voted 
for cast 20% of total vote. (5) 

Voter receives ballot only of 
party with which he is enrolled. 
(27) 

No provision for convention. 

Mo. 

Laws of 1913 
Chap. 221 

All state and county 
offices, U. S. senators, 
members of congress. (1) 

Such parties as at last preceding election 
polled at least 1% of entire vote in the state 
cast for governor. (1) 

Voter receives ballot only of 
party with which he is registered 
as affiliated. (13) 

State convention held under 
rules prescribed by state com¬ 
mittee of party frames platform. 
(2) 

Mass. 

Acts of 1911 
Ch. 550 

All offices to be filled 
at a state election except 
presidential electors. (1) 

Party which cast at least 3% of votes for 
its candidate for governor at last election, 
(ch. 398-1912) 

Voter receives the ballot only 
of party with which he is en¬ 
rolled. (14) 

Convention composed of can¬ 
didates nominated and delegates 
elected at primaries together 
with U. S. senators who are 
members of the party frames 
the platform. (18) 

Mich. 

Laws of 1909 
Ch. 281 
amended 

279-’11 

118—’13 

Governor, lieutenant- 
governor, U. S. senators, 
congressmen, members of 
the legislature, county 
officers, certain city and lo¬ 
cal officers. (16) 

Parties represented on ballot at last 
election. To place a new party on primary 
ballot requires petition signed by 3,000 voters. 
(25,28) 

Voter receives ballot contain¬ 
ing tickets of all parties repre¬ 
sented and votes the one he 
desires. (35) 

State convention composed of 
delegates elected at county con¬ 
vention the members of which 
are elected at. primaries frame 
platform and nominates state 
officers not nominated at pri¬ 
mary. (43) 

Minn. 

R.L.T3 
sec. 335 
et seq. 

All elective officers ex¬ 
cept certain local officers. 

A party which shall have maintained an 
organization and presented candidates at 
last election one or more of whom shall have 
been voted for in each county and shall have 
received at least 5% of total vote in the state, 
or an organization whose members to a 
number equal to 5% of total votes cast at last 
election in the county petition for a place 
on the ballot. (336) 

Voter receives the ballot of 
party for which he asks but 
when challenged he must de¬ 
clare that he has voted at last 
election and intends to vote at 
the next for the nominees of 
the party for whose ballot he 
asks. (347) 

Conventions may be held 
composed of delegates elected 
at primaries. (362) 

Mo. 

Laws, 1909, 
p. 481 

All elective officers ex¬ 
cept certain school and 
local officers. (1) 


Voter receives ballot only of 
party with which he is affiliated. 
(15) 

A party convention composed 
of nominees and state committee¬ 
men elected at primary shall 
frame platform. (26) 

Mont. 

1912 

Initiated and 
passed by 
people 

U. S. senators and all 
other elective state, dis¬ 
trict, and county officers. 
(2) 

Parties represented on the ballot at last 
preceding general election. Any number of 
votes not thus represented equal to the 
number required of the party requiring 
the least number of signatures to the petition 
is a party for purposes of this act. (4) 

Voter receives a ballot con¬ 
taining tickets of all parties and 
detaches and votes the ticket 
he desires placing the others in 
the blank ballot box. (20) 

Not provided for. 

Nebr. 

Comp. 

Statutes 

1911 

Ob- 26, 

Sec. 117 
et seq. 

All elective officers ex¬ 
cept certain local and 
county officers. (117b) 

Party which polled 1% of entire vote in 
state, countv, or subdivision entitled to a 
place on ballot of candidate for office in such 
political division. New party may have 
placed on primary ballot if a specified number 
of voters so petition. (118r, s) 

Voter receives ballot only of 
party for which he asks. If 
challenged he must make oath 
regarding his party affiliation. 
(117t) 

State convention composed 
of delegates elected at county 
convention frames platform. 
(118j) 

Nev. 

Laws, 1913 

Ch. 284 

Ch. 3 

All elective public offi¬ 
cers except certain local 
officers and presidental 
electors. (2) 


Voter receives ballot of party 
with which he is registered. (18) 

Convention composed of can¬ 
didates nominated at primaries 
frames the party platform. (26) 

N. H. 

1909 

Ch. 153 

All elective officers ex¬ 
cept certain local officers. 

(3) 

Any political organization which at pre¬ 
ceding election polled at least 3% of the entire 
vote of the state for governor. (1) 

Voter receives the ballot only 
of party with which he is 
registered. May register at the 
primary. (9) 

Convention composed of 
party nominees and delegates 
elected at primary frames plat¬ 
form. (19) 

N. J. 

Election 

Laws, 1913 

The principal elective 
officers. (396) 

A party which in last election of number 
of general assembly cast 5% of the total vote 
for its candidates in the district in which 
nominations are made. (258-1) 

Voter receives ballot only of 
party with which he is affiliated 
and whose ticket he voted at 
last primary election. (391) 

Convention composed of dele¬ 
gates chosen at primaries 
frames platform. (271) 

At the date 
of this com¬ 
pilation the 

N. Y. Stat¬ 
ute of 1913 
was not avail¬ 
able 





N. D. 

Laws of 

1909 

Ch.109 as 
amended 

Congressmen, state and 
county officers. (2) 

Party casting 5% of votes for governor 
at last general election. (10) 

Voter receives ballot of party 
with which he is affiliated. (10) 

Platform framed by state 
central committee members of 
which are elected by county 
committees. (40) 

Ohio 

Laws, 

Sec. 4949 

All elective officers ex¬ 
cept certain local officers. 
(4949, 4951) 

Parties which at last election polled 10% 
of entire vote cast for governor. (4949) 

Voter receives ballot only of 
party with which he is affiliated. 

Convention composed of dele¬ 
gates elected at primaries frames 
platform in years when there is 

.et seq. 




a presidental election. (4253) 
Other years the platform is 
framed by a convention com¬ 
posed of the party nominees 
and members of the party com¬ 
mittees. (4991) 

Ore. 

Lord 

Ore. 

Laws, 

Sec. 3349 
et seq. 

All elective officers. 
(3350) 

A party which at last election polled 25% 
of total votes cast for its candidates for 
congressmen. (3359) 

Voter receives ballot of party 
with which he is registered. 
(3386) 

Publicity pamphlet compiled 
by party committees and pub¬ 
lished by state. 

Okla. 

Laws, 

1909 

All elective officers. 

(4-1) 


Voter to vote the ballot of 
only one party. (4-5) 


Pa. 

Laws of 

1913 

Ch. 400 

U. S. senators, congress¬ 
men, elective state, county, 
city, ward etc., officers. 
(1) 

A party, one of whose candidates polled 
in each of at least 10 counties not less than 
2% of the largest vote cast for any elected 
candidate and polled a total in the state of 
at least 2% of the largest vote cast for any 
elected candidate. (2) 

Voter receives ballot of party 
for which he asks. If challenged 
he must make oath that at last 
election he supported the major¬ 
ity of candidates of party for 
whose ballot he asks. (12) 


S. D. 

Laws of 

1911, 

Ch.201. 

All elective congression¬ 
al, state, county, legis¬ 
lative and district officers 
and U. S. senators. 

Party that has maintained a state organi¬ 
zation and has had candidates on official 
ballot at last election or which shall at any 
general election hereafter poll 10% of the 
total vote for governor for an independent 
candidate. (1) 

Voter receives the ballot of 
party of which he is a member. 
If challenged he must make 
oath as to party affiliation. 
(85, 88) 

Conventions abolished but 
state publicity pamphlet pro¬ 
vided for. (104, 136) 

Wash. 

Rem.— 

Bal. 

Code, 

Sec. 4804 
et seq. 

All elective officers ex¬ 
cept certain local officers. 
(4805) 

Any party represented on ballot at last 
election if any of its candidates received 10% 
of total votes cast. (4807) 

Voter receives ballot of party 
for which he asks but if chal¬ 
lenged he must make oath as to 
his party affiliation. (4815) 

Party organization may have 
conventions but not to nominate 
candidates for offices which are 
voted upon at primaries. (4826) 

Wis. 

Statutes 

11—1 et seq. 

All elective officers ex¬ 
cept certain judicial, 
school, and local officers. 
(11-2) 

Any party any of whose candidates 
received 1 % of total vote cast, at last election. 
(11-5) 

Voter receives ballotcontaining 
all tickets represented, votes the 
one he desires and deposits 
others in blank ballot box. 
(11-12) 

Candidates nominated at pri¬ 
maries and hold-over senators 
meet in convention and frame 
platform. (11-22) 

Wyo. 

Law r s of 1911 
Ch. 23 

All officers elected by 
direct vote at general 
election, U. S. senators, 
and congressmen. (1) 

A party which at last election cast for its 
candidate for congressmen 10% of the total 
vote cast for office. (44) 

Voter receives ballot of party 
with which he is affiliated. (23) 

Convention made up of dele¬ 
gates chosen by county com¬ 
mittees frames platform. (40) 


6 


For Convention. 

There has been a strong tendency in states 
having the direct primary for the party 
managers to submit a complete slate at the 
primary and through the influence of their 
organization to nominate it in its entirety. 
This practice, common in certain states 
makes the nomination of a candidate object¬ 
ionable to the party organization a practical 
impossibility as he would have to build up 
an organization in every district throughout 
the state to stand a chance against the firmly 
intrenched party machine. 

The following important elements of party 
success can be considered in making a well 
balanced ticket at a convention but not at a 
direct primary; geographical distribution 
of the candidates; their nationality; their 
social standing; the class represented; the 
commercial, industrial and agricultural in¬ 
terests, etc., that they stand for; the shades 
of political idea entertained. 

The delegates to the convention being the 
prominent citizens of the , community are 
likely to have been members' of the legislature 
and thus to have become acquainted with the 
candidates for the minor offices who in reality 
conduct most of the business of the state and 
regarding whom the ordinary voter would 
have no knowledge. 

The process of deliberation and debate in 
a convention secures an attention to all the 
circumstances that a primary cannot obtain. 
Under a primary system Seward, not Lin¬ 
coln, would have been nominated in 1860. 
Lincoln is a typical product of the conven¬ 
tion system. 

The well-known man regardless of what 
he is noted for has an advantage in the race 
for the nomination over one better qualified 
but less generally known. It is notoriety 
and not worth that counts under the direct 
primary. 


The people are compelled to depend al¬ 
most entirely on what the newspapers say 
about the candidates while under the con¬ 
vention system the peoples’ representatives 
at the convention meet the candidates and 
can form their own judgments of them. 

Willingness on the part of adequate 
men to serve the public in office is rare 
enough at best, and willingness on the part 
of adequate men to undergo one protracted 
and necessarily expensive campaign of 
personalities for the right to undergo another 
protracted and expensive campaign for the 
right to serve the public in office is more than 


For^Primary. 

* Granted that the party managers do sub¬ 
mit a complete slate; under the primary 
system the people have the chance to reject 
it, while under the convention they do not. 


• The one test we should apply to candidates 
for office is, can he do the work required 
honestly and efficiently? Whether he lives 
in one end of the state or the other is not a 
common sense, business like requirement. 
What the state needs is genuine service, not a 
lesson in geography, social standing or 
commercial interests. 


In Vermont the minor officers are town, 
village and city officials, and in these cases 
we have a fairly good primary system now. 
In this state the direct primary should apply 
to state, congressional and county officials 
only, and every voter should have the right 
to pass on every one of these nominations. 


oThe talk of the “calm and deliberate 
judgment” of the convention is pure farce. 
What more disorderly, more turbulent, and 
generally uproarious assembly can one 
imagine than the average political convention? 


- To say that the people of Vermont would 
elect a man merely because he had some 
notoriety strongly questions their good sense, 
to say the least. And it is a fact that the 
men who are well known are those who in 
turn know the state well, its conditions and 
needs. 

t The newspapers are one of the greatest 
powers in modern life and they will exercise 
their power regardless of what nominating 
system w r e have. 


r It can be well argued that unless a man has 
interest enough in a governmental office to 
work to get it, he isn’t the man we want for 
that office. We want men in office who 
are interested in their work. There is no 
difference between the two systems in the 
length of campaign or in the expense. There 
was probably never a primary campaign in 


7 


For Convention. 

ran be expected normally except from those 
at once very rich and very patriotic. 


The primary makes possible the choice 
of a candidate by a small faction of the 
party decidedly in the minority. If there 
are six candidates and the vote is somewhat 
evenly divided it is possible that the highest 
candidate may receive not more than 17% 
of the total vote cast. There is not sufficient 
guarantee that the successful candidate 
really commands sufficient general support 
in the party to warrant his choice as a rep¬ 
resentative. Any second choice system is 
too complicated to receive the consideration 
of practical men. 

The direct primary increases the power 
of the large towns at the expense of the small 
towns. At a nomination by direct vote of 
the people the vote for Chittenden County 
would be practically dominated by Burl¬ 
ington and Winooski and Washington County 
by Barre and Montpelier and a similar 
domination by the large towns would be the 
result throughout the state. The vote in 
Essex county would be more than balanced 
by the vote of either Bennington, Brattle- 
boro, or St. Johnsburv. 


No plan is honest that permits a Demo¬ 
crat to participate in a Republican caucus, 
whose nominee he has no intention of support¬ 
ing, or the reverse. And if you do not have 
such a plan you must have one whereby 
the voter declares in advance his political 
allegiance, and having done this he has lost 
his independence as a voter. 

The direct primary, through doing away 
with the party convention and all the en- 
thusiam and sentiment created thereby, 
lessens party responsibility and interest and 
the loss of the efficiency of the party as an 
organization logically results. 

The primary calls for another complete 
election and preliminary election campaign 
with all the waste of time and money and 
political turmoil entailed thereby. 

There are so many candidates at the pri¬ 
mary that the voter cannot vote intelligently 
0^1 any but the most important officers. 


It is' a fact that in nearly every state 


For Primary. 

the country so expensive in proportion to the 
area and population of the state as was the 
convention campaign of Vermont in 1902. 

^ Under the convention system it often 
happens that candidates are nominated 
who receive no votes whatever in the caucuses, 
but are put in through manipulation and 
trading, regardless of any expression at all on 
the part of the voters. The primary system 
gives the majoritv a much better chance of 
forcing their will than any other system 
ever introduced. 


, The direct primary does not weaken the 
power of the small town. It strengthens the 
power of the individual voter, and aids the 
rank and file both in the small towns and in the 
large ones. The only power weakened is 
that, of the bosses, the political worker, 
and the selfish interest. Under the present 
convention system a small towns ends one, 
two or three delegates to a convention, held 
in a city or large town. On these delegates is 
massed all the pressure that the big town, 
the big interests and the big politicians 
can produce. Under a direct primary the 
voters go to their regular polling place and 
vote their preference without outside pres¬ 
sure, and manipulation. 

, Our political life is largely dominated 
by parties and so a man must as a practical 
means of making his will felt, ally himself 
with one party or another. Any man who 
refuses such a simple requirement as that 
should not complain if he is no better off 
under the present nominating system. 


i The argument that the primary destroys 
the party power is based on theory and not on 
experience. For it is a fact that in the states 
where direct primaries are in force parties 
are as strongly entrenched as ever. 


, The primary system substitutes for the 
elaborate system of unregulated caucuses and 
conventions a simple method of nominating 
all officers at one election. 

Primaries enlarge the field of public service 
by increasing the range of men who can have 
hope of getting into office. And it is not a fact 
that the voters of Vermont are so unintelli¬ 
gent as to be unable to choose their officers. 

Direct primaries have called for no more 


8 


For Convention. 

where direct primaries are in force there 
have been constant and continual demands for 
supplementary legislation to make primaries 
efficient. As one writer has expressed it 
“it is like using drugs, the more they use the 
drugs the worse off they are”. 


For Primary. 

supplementary legislation than have caucus 
and convention systems. The only difference 
is, that as the primary system is newer, 
supplementary legislation is more recent and 
therefore more prominent in the public mind. 
Then too, we must remember that the direct 
primary laws in some states were prepared 
by those who opposed them, driven to it by 
public pressure. There is no serious trouble 
in states like Oregon, Washington, Wiscon¬ 
sin and others where the primary laws have 
been written by friends of the system and 
not mutilated by enemies in the course of 
enactment. 



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